This invention relates generally to transparencies which, for example, are suitable for various printing processes such as ink jet, dot matrix, electrographic and xerographic imaging systems. More specifically, the present invention is directed to transparencies with certain coatings thereover, which transparencies, that is for example transparent substrate materials for receiving or containing a toner image, possess compatibility with toner and ink compositions, and permit improved toner and ink flow in the imaged areas of the transparency thereby enabling images of high quality, that is for example images with optical densities of greater than 1.0 in several embodiments, excellent toner fix, about 100 percent in some instances, and no or minimized background deposits to be permanently formed thereon. Thus, in one embodiment of the present invention there are provided a multi-purpose, for use in ink jet, electrophotographic, especially xerographic, dot matrix printers and the like, transparencies, that is for example a transparency useful in xerographic apparatuses such as the Xerox 1025.TM., the Xerox 1075.TM., in dot matrix printers, such as Roland PR-1012.TM. and in ink jet printers such as those commercially available from Hewlett Packard DeskJet.TM., the Xerox Corporation 4020.TM., the Hewlett Packard PaintJet.TM., and the like comprised of a supporting substrate, and a coating composition on both sides thereof in an embodiment comprised of a mixture of nonionic celluloses, ionic celluloses, or poly(alkylene oxide) with a non-cellulosic component selected from the group consisting of (1) poly(imidazoline) quaternized; (2) poly(N,N-dimethyl-3,5-dimethylene piperidinium halide, especially the chloride); (3) poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid); (4) poly(ethylene imine) epichlorohydrin; (5) poly(acrylamide); (6) acrylamide-acrylic acid copolymer; (7) poly(vinyl pyrrolidone); (8) poly(vinyl alcohol); (9) vinyl pyrrolidone-diethylaminomethylmethacrylate copolymer quaternized; (10) vinyl pyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymer and the like; and wherein the coating composition may have dispersed therein colloidal silica particles, and other similar components for the primary purpose of traction during the feeding process. Also, the present invention is directed to imaged transparencies comprised of a supporting substrate with a coating mixture as illustrated herein.
Many different types of transparencies are known, reference for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,535,112, which illustrates transparencies comprised of a supporting substrate, and polyamide overcoatings. Additionally, there are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,539,340 transparencies comprised of a supporting substrate and coatings thereover of vinylchloride copolymers. Also known are transparencies with overcoatings of styrene acrylate or methacrylate ester copolymers, reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,362; transparencies with blends of acrylic polymers and vinyl chloride/vinylacetate polymers, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,245; and transparencies with coatings of hydrophilic colloids as recited in U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,422. Furthermore, there are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. (1) 4,489,122 transparencies with elastomeric polymers overcoated with poly(vinylacetate), or terpolymers of methylmethacrylate, ethyl acrylate, and isobutylacrylate; and (2) 4,526,847 transparencies comprised of overcoating of nitrocellulose and a plasticizer. The disclosures of each of the aforementioned patents are totally incorporated herein by reference.
In a patentability search report the following prior art U.S. patents were provided: U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,405, which discloses an ink jet recording sheet comprised of a transparent support with a layer thereover comprising from 5 to about 100 percent by weight of a block copolymer latex of poly(vinyl alcohol) with polyvinyl(benzyl ammonium chloride) and from 0 to 95 percent by weight of a water soluble polymer such as poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) and copolymers thereof, reference the Abstract of the Disclosure, and also note the teachings, for example, in columns 2 and 3 of this patent; U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,437, which according to the Abstract of the Disclosure, discloses a transparent recording medium comprised of a conventional transparency base material coated with hydroxy ethyl cellulose and optionally containing one or more additional polymers compatible therewith, with examples of additional polymers being polyacrylimides, polyvinylpyrrolidones, see for example column 2, lines 1 to 21, and note in column 2, beginning at line 60, that as optional additives there may be included in the coating composition for purposes of promoting ease of manufacture, handling and usage, particulate silica or other inorganic pigments to enhance nonblocking and slip properties by acting as a friction reducting agent, see column 2, lines 65 and 66; U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,465 which according to the Abstract of the Disclosure is directed to an ink jet recording sheet comprising a transparent support carrying a layer comprising up to 50 percent by weight of vinyl pyrridines/vinyl benzyl quaternary salt copolymer and a hydrophilic polymer selected from gelatin, poly(vinyl alcohol), hydroxyl propyl cellulose, and mixtures thereof, see for example columns 2 and 3, especially column 2, line 60, to column 3, line 12, and also note column 3, line 21, to column 4, line 28; U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,934 directed to an ink jet recording medium which according to the Abstract of the Disclosure contains at least one ink receptive layer containing synthetic silica of fine particle form as the main pigment, and having a recording surface dried by pressing said surface against a heated mirror surface, and further having an ink receptive layer with an absorption capacity of at least 10 g/m.sup.2, see also the disclosure in columns 3 through 7, and moreover note the working Examples; also see specifically, for example, column 3, line 58, to column 4, line 16; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,914, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, directed to a transparency comprised of a supporting substrate and thereover a blend comprised of poly(ethylene oxide) and carboxymethyl cellulose together with the components selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl cellulose, and the like, reference the Abstract of the Disclosure, and note specifically the disclosure beginning with column 3, and specifically column 3, line 40, moreover, see specifically column 4, lines 10 to 32.
Other prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,189, which discloses fused toner images on an imaging surface wherein the toner particles contain a thermoplastic resin, the imaging surface carries a solid crystalline plasticizer having a lower melting point than the melting range of the thermoplastic resin, and wherein the resulting toner image is heat fused, reference the Abstract of the Disclosure; see also columns 3, 4, and 5, especially at line 71, to column 6; a similar teaching is present in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,493,412 and 3,619,279, and more specifically the '279 patent mentions in the Abstract that the external surfaces of the toner receiving member is substantially free of a material plasticizable by a solid crystalline plasticizer, and typically a plasticizer, such as ethylene glycol dibenzoate, may be available on the surface of the paper; further see column 3, lines 22 to 32, of the '279 patent for the types of receiving surfaces that may be treated; and a selection of patents, namely U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,535,112; 3,539,340; 3,539,341; 3,833,293; 3,854,942; 4,234,644; 4,259,422; 4,419,004; 4,419,005 and 4,480,003 that pertain to the preparation of transparencies by electrostatographic imaging techniques according to the aforementioned report.
Also known are transparency sheet materials for use in a plain paper electrostatic copier comprising (a) a flexible, transparent, heat resistant, polymeric film base, (b) an image receiving layer present upon a first surface of the film base, and (c) a layer of electrically conductive prime coat interposed between the image receiving layer and the film base. This sheet material can be used in either powder-toned or liquid-toned plain paper copiers for making transparencies, reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,816, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference.
Additionally known is a transparency to be imaged as a copy sheet in plain paper copiers which transparency contains a transparent sheet having a surface adapted to receive an image imprinted thereon in a suitable electrostatic imaging apparatus and an opaque coating forming an opaque border completely around the sheet, reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,974, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference.
Moreover, known is the preparation of transparencies by electrostatic means, reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,379, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, wherein there is described the transferring of a toner image to a polyester film containing, for example, a substrate and a biaxially stretched poly(ethylene terephthalate) film, including Mylar. Furthermore, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,644, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed a composite lamination film for electrophoretically toned images deposited on a plastic dielectric receptor sheet comprising in combination an optically transparent flexible support layer, and an optically transparent flexible intermediate layer of a heat softenable film applied to one side of the support; and wherein the intermediate layer possesses adhesion to the support.
With further respect to the prior art, there are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,379, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, transparencies with, for example, a polyester (Mylar) substrate with a transparent plastic film substrate 2 and an undercoating layer 3 formed on at least one surface of the substrate 2, and a toner receiving layer 4 formed on the undercoated layer, reference column 2, line 44. As coatings for layer 3, there can be utilized the resins as illustrated in column 3, including quaternary ammonium salts, while for layer 4 there are selected thermoplastic resins having a glass transition temperature of from a minus 50.degree. to 150.degree. C., such as acrylic resins, including ethylacrylate, methylmethacrylate, and propyl methacrylate; and acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid, and fumaric acid, reference column 4, lines 23 to 65. At line 61 of this patent, there is mentioned that thermoplastic resin binders other than acrylic resins can be selected, such as styrene resins, including polystyrene and styrene butadiene copolymers, vinyl chloride resins, vinylacetate resins, and solvent soluble linear polyester resins. A similar teaching is present in U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,003 wherein there is disclosed a transparency film comprised of a film base coated with an image receiving layer containing thermoplastic transparent polymethacrylate polymers, reference column 2, line 16, which films are useful in plain paper electrostatic copiers. Other suitable materials for the image receiving layer include polyesters, cellulosics, poly(vinyl acetate), and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymers, reference column 3, lines 45 to 53. Similar teachings are present in U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,293 wherein there is described a toner transfer film for picking up a toner image from a toner treated surface, and affixing the image, wherein the film contains a clear transparent base and a layer firmly adhered thereto, which is also clear and transparent, and is comprised of the specific components as detailed in column 2, line 16. Examples of suitable binders for the transparent film that are disclosed in this patent include polymeric or prepolymeric substances, such as styrene polymers, acrylic, and methacrylate ester polymers, styrene butadienes, isoprenes, and the like, reference column 4, lines 7 to 39. The coatings recited in the aforementioned patent contain primarily amorphous polymers which usually do not undergo the desired softening during the fusing of the xerographic imaging processes such as the color process utilized in the Xerox Corporation 1005.TM., and therefore these coatings do not usually aid in the flow of pigmented toners. This can result in images of low optical density which are not totally transparent.
Ink jet recording methods and ink jet transparencies thereof are known. There is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,174 an ink jet recording method for producing a recorded image on an image receiving sheet with aqueous inks, and wherein an ink jet is projected onto an image receiving sheet comprising a surface layer containing a pigment, which surface layer is capable of adsorbing a coloring component present in the aqueous ink. Also, there is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,582 an ink jet recording sheet containing a latex polymer, which can provide images having excellent water resistance properties and high image density by jetting them onto an aqueous ink containing a water soluble dye. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,405 describes an ink jet recording sheet comprising a transparent support with a layer comprising 5 to 100 percent by weight of a coalesced block copolymer latex of poly(vinyl alcohol) with polyvinyl(benzyl ammonium chloride), and 0 to 95 percent by weight of a water soluble polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), and copolymers thereof. In the '405 patent there is also disclosed an ink jet recording sheet comprising a layer which includes poly(vinyl pyrrolidone). A support is also disclosed in the '405 patent, which support may include polycarbonates, see column 4, line 62, for example. The disclosures of each of the aforementioned patents are totally incorporated herein by reference.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,235 there is disclosed an ink jet recording material with image stabilizing agents, see column 4, lines 32 to 58, for example. Also, in column 4, line 57, for example, this patent discloses the use of a plasticizer in a surface recording layer. Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,837 there is disclosed a light transmissive medium having a crosslinked polymer ink receiving layer; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,594 describes an ink jet transparency with improved wetting properties.
Other coatings for ink jet transparencies include blends of carboxylated polymers with poly(alkylene glycol), reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,850; blends of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) with matrix forming polymers such as gelatin; or poly(vinyl alcohol) swellable by water and insoluble at room temperature but soluble at elevated temperatures, reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,111; and blends of poly(ethylene oxide) with carboxymethyl cellulose as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,954, mentioned herein, the disclosure of each of the aforementioned patents being totally incorporated herein by reference.
Moreover, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,954, mentioned herein, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there is illustrated a transparency for ink jet printing comprised of a supporting substrate and thereover a coating consisting essentially of a blend of carboxymethyl cellulose, and polyethylene oxides. Also, in this patent there is illustrated a transparency wherein the coating is comprised of a blend of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose and poly(ethylene glycol monomethyl ether), a blend of carboxy methyl cellulose and poly(vinyl alcohol), or a blend of hydroxyethyl cellulose and vinyl pyrrolidone/diethylamino methylmethacrylate copolymer. One disadvantage associated with the transparencies of U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,954 is their insufficient resistance to relative humidities of, for example, exceeding 50 percent at 80.degree. F. which leads to the onset of blooming and bleeding of colors in the printed text or graphics only in four to six hours. These and other disadvantages are avoided or minimized with the transparencies of the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,914 the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there are illustrated ink jet transparencies comprised of a supporting substrate and thereover a blend comprised of poly(ethylene oxide) and carboxymethyl cellulose together with a component selected from the group consisting of (1) hydroxypropyl cellulose; (2) vinylmethyl ether/maleic acid copolymer; (3) carboxymethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose; (4) hydroxyethyl cellulose; (5) acrylamide-acrylic acid copolymer; (6) cellulose sulfate; (7) poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid); (8) poly(vinyl alcohol); (9) poly(vinyl pyrrolidone); and (10) hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose. One of the disadvantages of the transparencies based on binary blends of carboxymethyl cellulose, with poly(ethylene oxide) cited in U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,954 and ternary blends of carboxymethyl cellulose, poly(ethylene oxide), hydroxypropyl cellulose or ternary blends of carboxymethylcellulose, poly(ethylene oxide), vinylmethylether/maleic acid copolymer cited in U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,914 is the shift of the bluish-black color to reddish-black when printed with, for example, a Hewlett Packard DeskJet.TM. printer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,225, there are disclosed transparencies suitable for electrographic and xerographic imaging comprised of a polymeric substrate with a toner receptive coating on one surface thereof, which coating is comprised of blends of: poly(ethylene oxide) and carboxymethyl cellulose; poly(ethylene oxide), carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxypropyl cellulose; poly(ethylene oxide) and vinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene copolymer, poly(chloroprene) and poly(.alpha.-methylstyrene); poly(caprolactone) and poly(.alpha.-methylstyrene); poly(vinylisobutylether) and poly(.alpha.-methylstyrene); blends of poly(caprolactone) and poly(p-isopropyl .alpha.-methylstyrene); blends of poly(1,4-butylene adipate) and poly(.alpha.-methylstyrene); chlorinated poly(propylene) and poly(.alpha.-methylstyrene); chlorinated poly(ethylene) and poly(.alpha.-methylstyrene); and chlorinated rubber and poly(.alpha.-methylstyrene). Further, in another aspect of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,225, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there are provided transparencies suitable for electrographic and xerographic imaging processes comprised of a supporting polymeric substrate with a toner receptive coating on one surface thereof comprised of: (a) a first layer coating of a crystalline polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(chloroprene), chlorinated rubbers, blends of poly(ethylene oxide), and vinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene copolymers, chlorinated poly(propylene), chlorinated poly(ethylene), poly(vinylmethyl ketone), poly(caprolactone), poly(1,4-butylene adipate), poly(vinylmethyl ether), and poly(vinyl isobutylether); and (b) a second overcoating layer comprised of a cellulose ether selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, and ethyl cellulose.
In a U.S. Pat. No. 5,006,407, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated here by reference, there is disclosed a transparency comprised of a hydrophilic coating and a plasticizer, which plasticizer can, for example, be selected from the group consisting of phosphates, substituted phthalic anhydrides, glycerols, glycols, substituted glycerols, pyrrolidinones, alkylene carbonates, sulfolanes, and stearic acid derivatives.
In another U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,140, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated here by reference, there is disclosed a transparent substrate material for receiving or containing an image comprised of a supporting substrate, an anticurl coating layer or coatings thereunder, and an ink receiving layer thereover.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,697, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated here by reference, there is disclosed a transparent substrate material for receiving or containing an image and comprised of a supporting substrate base, an antistatic polymer layer coated on one or both sides of the substrate and comprised of hydrophilic cellulosic components, and a toner receiving polymer layer contained on one or both sides of the antistatic layer, which polymer is comprised of hydrophobic cellulose ethers, hydrophobic cellulose esters or mixtures thereof, and wherein the toner receiving layer contains adhesive components.
In copending application U.S. Ser. No. 370,677, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated here by reference, there is disclosed an imaged transparency comprised of a supporting substrate, oil absorbing layer comprised of, for example, chlorinated rubber, styrene-olefin copolymers, alkylmethacrylate copolymers, ethylene-propylene copolymers, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose or sodium carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose; an ink receiving polymer layers comprised of, for example, vinyl alcohol-vinyl acetate, vinyl alcohol-vinyl butyral or vinyl alcohol-vinyl acetate-vinyl chloride copolymers. The ink receiving layers may include therein or thereon fillers such as silica, calcium carbonate, or titanium dioxide.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,153, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed a never-tear coated paper comprised of a plastic supporting substrate, a binder layer comprised of polymers selected from the group consisting of (1) hydroxy-propyl cellulose, (2) poly(vinyl alkyl ether), (3) vinyl pyrrolidonevinyl acetate copolymer, (4) vinyl pyrrolidone-dialkylamino ethyl methacrylate copolymer quaternized, (5) poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), (6) poly(ethylene imine), and mixtures thereof; and a pigment or pigments; and an ink receiving polymer layer.
Although the transparencies illustrated in the prior art are suitable in most instances for their intended purposes, there remains a need for new transparencies with coatings thereover, which transparencies are useful in ink jet printing, dot matrix printing, electrophotographic and xerographic imaging processes, and that will enable the formation of images with high optical densities. Additionally, there is a need for all purpose transparencies which permit improved ink and toner flow in the imaged areas thereby enabling high quality transparent images with acceptable optical densities. There is also a need for all purpose transparencies that possess other advantages, inclusive of enabling excellent adhesion between the toned image and the transparency selected, and wherein images with excellent resolution and no background deposits are obtained. There is also a need for transparencies that can be used in more than one type of ink jet xerographic or electrophotographic apparatuses as is the situation with the transparencies of the present invention. Another need of the present invention resides in providing transparencies with coatings that do not (block) stick at, for example, high relative humidities of, for example, 50 to 80 percent and at a temperature of 50.degree. C. in many embodiments.